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South by Southwest technology conference is known for the latest developments of the industry, and fantastic new products to really get the tech mad individuals talking. But this year’s conference has received publicity of a different sort, following a controversial decision by one of the events main participants. BBH Labs marketing agency, launched a campaign during the event called Homeless Hotspots that grabbed the media’s attention for less than desirable reasons.
The controversial campaign involved 13 homeless individuals being fully equipped to be wireless hot spots. The event has seen issues with the lack of band-width for it’s tech-mad attendants in the previous years, resulting in BBH addressing the problem and employing the homeless to be extra sources of internet, not considering the reaction of the public and the media.
The homeless people involved were given T shirts to wear with their name and the username and password for their particular brand of wifi. Conference attendants could use the details on their shirts in exchange for a small donation of cash or through paypal to use the internet whilst in their vicinity. Each of the homeless volunteers was allowed to keep all the donations made during their time at the event.
Although being paid $20 for the day’s work, the project was described by Tim Carmody, from Wired as “completely problematic, sounds like something out of a darkly satirical science-fiction dystopia”.
Referring to the project as a “charitable experiment” didn’t really ease anyone’s mind either, and even after the week long event drew to a close, spokespeople for BBH were still struggling to defend their idea after the constant barrage of abuse.
Twitter saw the hashtag for the event being hijacked by many users who described the stunt as ‘horrifying and dehumanizing’.
Previously, the director of innovation for BBH Labs had worked with the homeless giving them phones and Twitter accounts to draw attention to their difficult life. He said, “We saw it as a means to raise awareness by giving homeless people a way to engage with mainstream society and talk to people,” he said. “The hot spot is a way for them to tell their story.”
The homeless volunteers themselves haven’t been bothered by this particular marketing stunt saying they love talking to people and have enjoyed the honest day’s work and pay.
Many have said the project exploits those involved, through the below-minimum pay they receive. Many of the events attendees felt uncomfortable with the moral dilemma in front of them, whether to give the homeless people their spare change, ignore them, or buy them a coffee. Either way, using them for their specific purpose left many feeling cruel and inhumane.
Not everyone has seen this particular stunt in a negative light. Agreeing that although the homeless people have been underpaid, the fact that a company is willing to hire them in the first place is a bold move. Once wearing your logo and being hired by your company, the homeless are working for you and are consequently in control of your reputation. PR practitioners are saying the campaign was successful in gaining attention for the company and it’s values, but failed with it came to the project’s execution.
What do you think? Does this stunt breach the homeless people’s human rights? Or is it merely an opportunity to earn a little extra cash, whilst providing an important service for a global event?
